


In Which Sophie Puts Her Foot Down

by ryfkah



Category: Howl Series - Diana Wynne Jones
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-17
Updated: 2011-04-17
Packaged: 2017-10-18 05:32:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/185557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryfkah/pseuds/ryfkah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set immediately after <i>House of Many Ways.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	In Which Sophie Puts Her Foot Down

“DI-

The door closed on High Norland, and the waving royal household.

“-INKLE!” screamed Morgan.

“Home again!” Howl said, heartily. “Looking forward to some peace and quiet, cariad?”

“DINKLE!” shouted Morgan.

Howl looked at Morgan. His hair was suspiciously golden.

“Don’t even think about it,” said Sophie.

“DINKLE!” yelled Morgan.

“I think I left something behind in High Norland,” sizzled Calcifer, and disappeared up the chimney with amazing rapidity.

Howl was all innocence. “I was only going to (DINKLE) say, I’ve a project ( _DINKLE_ ) in the yard that I’ve been ( _DINKLE_ ) neglecting shamefully, so I think I’ll –”

“Oh no you don’t,” snapped Sophie, and, marching over, plopped Morgan down in her husband’s arms. Startled, Morgan briefly stopped screaming and blinked up at his father before saying, experimentally, “Dinkle?”

“You’re not slithering out of this one,” Sophie went on. “I meant to have a break, and I am _going_ to have a break. I don’t care how much you have to do for the King or how busy you are. Right now, I’m going to Market Chipping, and I am going to go shopping and have a cake from Cesari’s and I am not going to hear one childish voice for the next hour, and if anyone even so much as lisps at me in the marketplace I will – I’ll turn them into a toad! Do you understand?”

Howl looked wounded. “You’re always underestimating me,” he said, mournfully. “I was _going_ to say, it won’t hurt if I neglect it for a little longer. We could leave Morgan with your sister, and go somewhere relaxing. The beaches of southern Strangia, perhaps?”

“I don’t want to go _anywhere_ right now, Howl,” Sophie said – mollified, despite her best efforts. Drat the man’s charm, anyways. “We just got back from what was meant to be a vacation, and got attacked by an army of lubbockins. Heaven knows what will happen if we go to the beach – probably a flood! I just want to have an hour to myself. That’s all. And then I want to come home to my _adult_ husband, whom I have actually missed - goodness knows _why_ " she adds, but she moved a little closer to Howl and smiled up at him, reaching out a hand -

At which point Morgan decided he had been patient long enough. “Dinkle,” he announced. “Dinkle, Dinkle –”

Sophie made a mad dash for the Market Chipping door.


End file.
